Meet Cindy Slipko 

Written by Nancy Gallub, Cindy's daughter, in 2013

The day after Thanksgiving starts the “Cookie Season” in the Slipko household. The turkey leftovers go in the fridge and out come the pounds and pounds and pounds of butter. To say Cindy goes through at least 30 pounds of butter each year would be a conservative guess. Mixing, rolling, baking, decorating... Cindy creates many mini masterpieces of deliciousness for family, friends and anyone she’s ever met. Cookie smells take over the house, there’s no escaping it. Bins of Christmas cookies line the living and dining rooms. About 30 to 40 made-up platters of cookies take over the garage, ready to be distributed. Family and friends sneak over for tastes. It’s quite a spectacle. 

This yearly tradition has gone on every Christmas for more than 20 years, no matter what. Cindy can’t take all the credit though; she acquired some of these classic recipes from her mother-in-law, Mary Slipko. The recipes have been passed down and around to everyone who has asked about them. They are now available for all to view and incorporate into their family cookbooks. Something this good is a shame to keep secret. 

Cindy works constantly from Thanksgiving to Christmas making cookies. But what about the rest of the year? She keeps herself busy year round caring for her husband Spencer, son Bob and daughter Nancy as well as their two cats Missy and Buddy. She prepares home cooked meals for her family almost every night all while keeping an immaculate home and beautiful garden in the summer. 

Her generosity extends far outside the immediate family to everyone around. Hosting all major holidays with feasts for 30 or more people, chauffeuring anyone anywhere anytime, perming, highlighting and/or dying hair for family and friends, knitting sweaters and blankets for mothers-to-be, sending care packages to soldiers overseas... These are just a few ways Cindy is constantly extending herself. 

But don’t be mistaken, this traditional mom and wife is a technologically advanced woman as well. She can figure out any electronic device including programming the most complex VCRs as well as maneuver her way around a computer, the Internet and email. In addition, she is becoming a master at digitally retouching photographs using the same software and equipment used by professionals. 

She may be giving Martha Stuart a run for her money but look out Bob Villa. Cindy can compete with professionals in the likes of many areas. She has wallpapered many homes including her own, painted two-story murals, tiled bathrooms, bricked driveways and demolished some things that had to go. 

Cindy is a rare mix of traditional values and modern day sophistication. She is generous beyond her means and loved by family and friends. Her cookies are treasured by all but more so, Cindy is treasured by all. She has a special way of touching all of our lives.

An update...

Cindy Slipko passed away on January 21, 2016 after a long and tiresome battle with cancer. Her presence is missed every day. Her legacy reaches far beyond cookies but it is nice to know countless people are keeping her memory alive through butter, flour and sugar. Many family members including all her grandkids, friends and beyond have adopted these recipes as their own traditions. 

I know in my own home Mom's cookies are around all year, not just as Christmastime. It's a fun activity for the kids to get involved in and share in traditions plus they're a big hit at the school bake sales. I feel pretty confident in making some cookies and people say they taste and look just like Mom's and Gram's. Others like the Linzer Tarts and Snowball Cookies I still haven't attempted. Maybe someday. Until then, I'll stick with the Raspberry Delights, Pink Dots (Shortbread Cookies) and Korova Cookies (one of our favorites). 

This old cookiesbycindy.com website accidentally expired in fall 2022 when I missed an email about billing. I was absolutely heartbroken. I tried to get it resurrected but since it was created in an outdated platform, and hosted offsite, there was no way to get it back or recreate it exactly as it was. Besides Dad and I, I didn't think anyone else was looking for the site. Boy was I wrong! When December 2022 rolled around so many people reached out looking for the site and Mom's recipes. It was truly touching! Everyone expressed their love for Mom and how much they missed her. Until I received all those messages, I wasn't planning to relaunch cookiesbycindy.com. It was going to take time to learn a new platform, but besides that, it seemed wrong to make a new website, one Mom hadn't seen. But, here I am doing it. For her, for us and to keep her memory alive. Thank you to all who reached out with kind words about Mom. I hope this site brings everyone much joy!

To get in touch with Nancy Gallub, email nsgallub@yahoo.com